The invention relates to the arrangement of a supply device for passengers, in particular in an aircraft passenger cabin. Said device may comprise a first panel, associated with each passenger seat row, which panel is referred to as a “function panel” and may comprise safety elements, comfort elements and visual display elements as well as communication means. Furthermore the supply device may comprise a second panel, in which in particular flexible supply channels may be integrated, which panel may be referred to as an “infill panel”. These panels may be guided in a rail system of a PSC channel (Passenger Service Channel) so that they may be spaced apart from each other.
From DE 43 01 681 C1 a passenger cabin of an aircraft is known in which the supply device may be positioned underneath the hatracks, flush mounted with the cabin panel surfaces. To this effect a lowered shaft-like PSC channel may have been arranged in the cabin panel surfaces above the passenger seat rows, in which PSC channel the entire supply device can be positioned so as to be slidable. The function panel and the infill panel may be integrated in the supply device so as to form a construction unit. After completion of adjustment, neither a cover nor a trim may be provided for the spaces that have been formed between two supply devices.
A generous spatial appearance as well as an easy accessibility to all the supply devices from each seating position in the passenger cabin may be characteristics for passenger wellbeing in an aircraft. For each aircraft layout the supply devices, in particular their function panels within the passenger cabin, may be arranged according to the particular seating position. Any change in the seating layout may require a matched repositioning of the function panels so that from its seat a passenger may use every functionality and in order to make possible optimum handling of all the devices. This may require a considerable additional installation-and maintenance effort in the case of the construction units or the designs of the supply devices currently used. In order to compensate for resulting distance dimensions between the function panels it is known to use so-called non-functional infill panels with different lengths, which may be slidably held and may be locked in position by way of retainers. This may require a large number of infill panels of different length, which large number may increase the multitude of different variants. The use of such infill panels may have ramifications for the entire componentry of the PSC channel as far as its multitude of different variants, interface concepts and gap concepts are concerned. A further known solution for adapting the infill panel to different distance dimensions may provide for the use of telescopic plastic infill panels that may include rigid plastic cassettes. This solution may be mechanically complex and visually unattractive.
There may be a need to provide an infill panel for a supply device, which infill panel may compensate for various distance dimensions between two function panels spaced apart from each other.